Birthday Magic

J and I underestimated the excitement any birthday celebration of a seven year old could cause.

Taking X, Lexi, and our nephew Carter to the grocery store last night turned into an all-out, energetic elementary school party.

All we were doing was picking out a cake for a belated birthday celebration for Carter.

Carter had to have his party canceled when nasty weather hit and turned out the power the weekend of his birthday. Going between two parents another hasn't been able to be coordinated.

We decided to give him a little somethin' somethin'.

The kids walked as fast as their little legs could carry them into the market while trying to maintain an appropriate level of composure under our watchful eye and headed straight for the bakery section.

X ran off looking for cupcakes, which he swore Carter need too and would like better, maybe for school, who knows what goes on in his head.

Carter wandered wide-eyed, wondering exactly what we were doing and how it was going to happen.

I led him over to the bakery section and dragged down the gigantic book of options.

His eyes got even bigger.

He immediately started jabbering, "I don't know if I can make a decision. Look at all these cakes." He started flipping through the pages, marking Scooby Doo, Bolt and so many others I ran out of fingers to use as book marks.

Finally in the middle he stopped and said, "Bolt. I like Bolt."

But he hadn't even made it to the NASCAR section yet, which I thought he would LOVE.

I quickly showed him those options and he changed his tune quickly.

J handled the ordering but the kids just didn't want this experience to stop.

The woman at Hannafords, sensing the excitement of a seven year old picking out his first cake at the bakery, joined in.

She offered them free cookies and showed them how to decorate them.

I left to start grocery shopping while J supervised. I was done by the time J had found a way to coax them from the cake stand.

The excitement and happiness was contagious.

It reminds me why I'm alive.

The joy in someone else's face, the sparkle in their eye of possibility is not something that can be purchased.

It's the most satisfying feeling in the world.

Well, one of them. . . .

It's a fabulous feeling doing things for others that have never been done. It opens a world of what-ifs, of possibilities that anything can be achieved, that the world is a good place, or that great things are in store for the future.

His actual celebration hasn't even started, but I have a feeling we're in for some fun today.

It's the first official day of spring (Holla!).

It's a gorgeous 60+ degrees and the boys have their first baseball practice.

They plan on spending the day outside before tonight when Carter's birthday celebration will begin.

We're just having dinner at home (with cake, of course. I may even ask him if he has a special request because he's been so damn cute) and taking him glow-bowling tonight, but in the eyes of a seven year old, it's his day.